Friendly Messenger December 2004
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FRIENDLY MESSENGER

December 2004


This Month's Contents:


Service of Worship, Word and Prayer

"To worship is to quicken the conscience by the holiness of God, to feed the mind with the truth of God, to purge the imagination by the beauty of God, to open the heart to the love of God, to devote the will to the purpose of God."
William Temple

In an attempt to do all these things, we have been meeting at 8:30 AM on Sunday mornings since October 3rd for a short service of Worship, the Word and Prayer. We begin with praise and worship. We reflect on God's greatness - His resources are infinite. On a daily basis we tend to confine God within the narrow bonds of our own outlook. If we try to define God on our own, we will fail. All our ideas are inadequate; God alone can teach us who God is. So we pause to open our hearts to God and praise His glorious Name.

Then we feed on His Word in Scripture. We read the three lessons appointed for the day, have a short meditation on the meaning of the lesson for us today, and "pray the scripture." In this way we communicate with God - we listen, we meditate, we tell Him how His word touched our hearts. Basically, I have been doing this so far, but it is my hope that, as we get more familiar and comfortable with this format, more people will feel comfortable to offer the prayers of their hearts as well.

For music we have been singing two songs each week, the first a modern praise and worship song. We finish up with a hymn from either the green or blue book that fits in with the theme of the day's lessons.

I plan to light the Advent candles starting November 28th, the first Sunday in Advent, as we begin to watch and wait in anticipation of our wonderful Savior's coming again to us. On the first Sunday of each month we will have the supply pastor from the 10:30 service who will offer us a short message and administer Holy Communion.

I feel privileged to share this experience with you. Please feel free to offer any suggestions if there is something you would like to see included.

"Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen." (Ephesians 3:20,21)

Yours in Christ,
Linda Nietman


CONGREGATIONAL COUNCIL HIGHLIGHTS

The meeting of November 8th was opened with a prayer from Pastor Richard Kiesling, our Vice Pastor.

The call Committee gave the results of their report of the "Congregational Survey." Mostly women filled out the survey. Most of our members are 70 and over. The survey also reported that we want a pastor who would be a preacher and worship leader. More information will follow as the committee meets.

Under correspondence, a letter of resignation from Walter Blenderman from the Council. This was accepted with much regret. He will continue to be the Recording Secretary. a letter from Diane Pasquarello asking for the use of the church on 2 occasions - November 13th from 1-3:30 and Wednesday, November 17th from 7-8:30 pm. Council agreed to both times. a letter from Pat Klatt stating that St. Peter's will give up the Homeless Program after 15 years. Anyone wishing to help can go on the FHP volunteer list as volunteers are needed. December 12th will be the final week at St. Peter's.

Pastor Kiesling reported that he visited most of St. Peter's shut-ins and visited three of our members in the hospital plus attended a church meeting.

Worship and Music reported the results of their survey. There will be one worship service on Christmas Eve at 9:00 pm. Holy Communion will be celebrated at that service.

Evangelism will have a Friendship Sunday on Sunday, December 5th. Please invite friends and neighbors without a church home to worship with you.

Our Christmas Pageant will be on the 19th of December. The Men in Mission will get the Christmas trees for the chancel.

The Spring Fling has a tentative date of April 30th.

The Stewardship Committee reminds everyone to fill out their pledge cards.

The Men in Mission have been busy sorting and throwing away some of the old chairs. Then the custodian closet will be painted. A thank you note will be sent to Bela Plitz for all the painting and plastering he's been doing. It looks wonderful!

There has been a request for a banister to be put on the Mercer Avenue side entrance. The Property Committee will check it out and money will come out of the Memorial Fund to pay for this project.

The meeting with the Next Level Community Church was discussed. The Council voted to pursue this further by meeting with them and getting more information.

Under New Business - Irene Plitz will be the Finance Committee Chairperson until we have a new Council member to take over, as the budget is due for the coming year.

Having heard all reports, we closed with the Lord's Prayer.

In God's Service,
Orvie Hoffman


PARISH HAPPENINGS

Alternative Worship Experience

We are especially happy that our Alternative Worship Experience is once again up and running. Our own Linda Nietman is leading this service each Sunday morning at 8:30 a.m. If your schedule prevents you from attending our 10:30 a.m. Traditional Service, or if you are looking for something a bit different, come see what our NEW Alternative Worship Experience is all about. Communion will be celebrated the first Sunday of each month.

Office Hours

Effective September 3rd, the church office returns to its usual hours of Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 8:30 A.M. - to 1:00 P.M. If the door is not unlocked, please ring the bell or knock.

Sunday School/Adult Forum

Christian Education is available for all adults every Sunday morning at 9:15 am in the Nursery Room with Pat Johnston leading the class. If you are here for the early "Alternative Worship Experience," or if you are bringing your children to Sunday School, stay; Christian Education is for you, too!

Our Sunday Church School program for all ages is held at 9:15 A.M. every Sunday morning!

Christmas Eve Service

Our Worship and Music Committee announces that this year there will be one service on Christmas Eve - at 9:00 pm.

The service will incorporate the format of our old 11:00 pm Carol Service with the inclusion of Holy Communion. This is an exciting new beginning, and appropriately, at Christmastime!

We Say Yes!

Many have not as yet made their Estimates of Giving for 2005. Please "SAY YES!" by stopping at the table in the narthex to make use of the Stewardship materials provided for you there. Everyone's response is extremely important in this time of transitional leadership. Thank you very much!

Friendship Sunday

St. Peter's needs your help. Invite relatives, friends and neighbors to a Friendship Sunday Service on December 5th.

There will also be a Friendship Service on Christmas Eve at 9 pm. Ask relatives and friends to attend church with you.

And remember, at St. Peter's visitors and guests are welcome at every service. "Ignite to Invite" to St. Peter's, "the welcome place."

Thanksgiving Eve Service

Our community will gather on Wednesday, November 24th, at 7:30 pm at St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church, Watchung and Manning Avenue, North Plainfield. The Rev. David Taylor, of Trinity Reformed Church, will preach.

ELCA World Hunger Appeal

As we sit down to our Thanksgiving tables could there be a more appropriate time. So many people in our country and around the world suffer daily from a lack of food, education, medical care and love. The ELCA World Hunger Appeal is always before us, but maybe particularly now. Your response will be very much appreciated.

Women of the ELCA

The Women of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (WELCA) invite all women to participate in their many activities. Meetings with a specific theme or activity are usually held at the church on the second Tuesday of each month at 7:30 PM. Our Katie's Quilters usually meet twice a month on a Wednesday morning at 10:00 and a Friday evening at 7:30. In June, 2004, our women delivered 110 quilts, plus health kits and used clothing to Lutheran World Relief center in Maryland. Food items for FISH, the local food bank, are continually collected and delivered. They assist our Lutheran Men in Mission at our Annual Dinner Theater. Thankoffering Sunday is held in November. Many other opportunities for fellowship and service are coming along. As you can see, our women are very active. To find out how you can join in, and to find out what's happening when, please talk to an active member, watch for announcements in the Sunday bulletin, or call the church office (908-754-0530)for further information and/or the name and phone number of the proper contact person. Our Women of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America look forward to welcoming you!

WELCA Christmas Tree Project

This year's WELCA Christmas Tree Project will benefit Home Sharing, Inc.

Home Sharing is a service that matches "seekers," those individuals and families in need of affordable housing with "providers," people who need to share their homes or apartments in order to maintain their dignity, housing stability and independence. Last year, Home Sharing helped more that 900 people in Somerset and Hunterdon Counties to solve their housing problems.

So, instead of sending Christmas cards to our fellow church members, consider making a donation to this cause to help fight homelessness in our community. Our tree will be available for "decorating" all the Sundays of Advent.

Be a Good Samaritan

Items to be contributed and delivered to the Good Samaritan Center in Camden will be received on Sundays, November 21st and 28th. This year we are collecting slacks, underwear and two items of clothing per member. Items received will be delivered to Camden the first week of December.

Seafarers and International House - Christmas-at-Sea

It's time for the Christmas-at-Sea Program. The generosity of our congregation helps the seafarers experience the holiday away from home, especially since the September 11th calamity. We need to demonstrate our hospitality and friendship from the people of the United States to the people of developing nations from which the great majority of seafarers are recruited.

Ther will be a basket in the narthex to receive gifts during Advent.

A small present for a seafarer to open on Christmas, at sea and far from home, from a stranger at the last port of call, captures the message of Christmas; you are not forgotten, you are not alone. Will you share the spirit of Christmas with a seafarer?

Gift ideas - Woolen caps, warm gloves, sweatshirts (XL), T-shirts, white socks (large or extra large), canned nuts, chocolate, Bibles, prayer books, video/audio tapes (wrapped or unwrapped), telephone cards, religious pictures, wall hangings, calendars.

Reminder - Remember to include the name and address of your congregation so your gifts can be acknowledged.

Peace and Goodwill on Earth,
Olga Bruce

Lutheran Men in Mission

Our Lutheran Men in Mission (LMM) meet the first Tuesday of each month at 7;30 PM at the Church. All men of the church, young and senior alike, are welcome and encouraged to attend. We need you! If you need a ride, please see or call Ken Troy. LMM sponsored our Annual Picnic, a Philadelphia theater trip to see a son of the congregation perform, and Mother's Day refreshments and carnations. They organize and cook for our Annual Dinner Theater. Work days at the church are also scheduled when a need arises. Many other opportunities for fellowship and service are coming along. As with the Women's Group, to find out how you can join in, and to find out what's happening when, please talk to an active member, watch for announcements in the Sunday bulletin, or call the church office (908-754-0530)for further information and/or the name and phone number of the proper contact person. Our Lutheran Men in Mission look forward to welcoming you!

Annual Spaghetti Dinner

It was a great success! The Lutheran Men in Mission Annual Spaghetti Dinner took place on Saturday, November 6th, at 6:00 p.m. in Fellowship Hall. There were 80 happy people at the dinner and show. Many thanks for the help from the ladies of WELCA and friends of LMM for serving and helping out in the kitchen. The Ol' Pals Barbershop Quartet" from Somerset, New Jersey put on a great show!

A Big LMM Thank You!

LMM extends their thanks and appreciation to Bela Plitz for all the painting and plastering that he has been doing at St. Peter's. We now have a 21st century kitchen, with cabinets of soft beige, and walls of soft white. The window frames have been fixed, and the plaster cracks repaired. Bela also repaired the plaster, walls and windows in the pastor's office. He is also working on the 2nd floor classrooms above the offices. All the guys of LMM thank him very much!



GLOBAL MISSION

EPES: Promoting Health and Hope

Educacion Popular en Salud (EPES) was born in 1982 as a project of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Chile and formed its first health promotion groups in the poor neighborhoods of Santiago and Concepcion in the depths of the dictatorship.

Over the past two decades, EPES has grown from a small emergency-response team to an innovative force in championing health care for the poor through the training and organized participation of the people themselves.

EPES promotes a broad view of health that includes personal dignity and social and economic well-being, with an emphasis on confronting health problems by understanding the underlying conditions that cause them. Local residents (generally women) define community problems and are the main actors in the search for solutions.

The cornerstone of EPES approach is to train teams of health promoters rather than individuals. Currently, 100 health promoters belonging to 12 permanent teams in five shanty towns tackle issues such as breast cancer, domestic violence, sexual and reproductive rights, women's sexual health, AIDS, teen sexuality, mental health, acute respiratory infections and environmental pollution.

Chile's return to elected rule and changing social trends prompted EPES to reexamine its educational and institutional models. As a result, in 2002, EPES left its home in the Lutheran church to become an independent foundation, while maintaining close links. In doing so, EPES also reaffirmed its commitment to the construction of long-term relationships.

The challenge ahead is to assure long-term financial support, because, in the words of one EPES supporter,"health promotion EPES-style is not just a project or an intervention, or even a strategy. It's a way of life."

(Taken from "Building Resistencia" - 2003)

There are three weeks left in 2004 for you to honor or remember a loved one. How privileged we are to be able to support such a project as EPES! Please sign up on the chart by the office.

Evelyn Troy
Congregation Mission Interpreter


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Last modified 11/27/04